The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1887-08-06
The Mass NHeetlne.



Rayne Signal
We publish elsewhere the proceedings Of
the regular Democratic meeting held at
Crowley on Saturday the 23d inst, and we
are sorry to have to relate the particulars Of
the days proceedings, and the difficulties
under which those disposed 70 eontine them
selves to regular Democratic usages and GUS
tpms were placed.
According to tine call published 10 our
columns last week many Democratic citizens
repaired TO the town ol Crowley on the day
mentioned for the purpose Of organizing the
Democratic party in the parish and ~ q
preliminary To said Organization to elect a
Democratic Parish Executive Committee, Up
on their arrival at Crowley they met with a
dis0rderly and mixed crowd Of persons COM
posed OF some Democrats, some Republicans
and few non-residents, who seemed 10 have
organized themselves Into party, not Dem
oeratle but 70 Pc run alt9getner tn tha inter-
est OF one man, Gov. Nichols, and binding
ali their followers TO work ip his interest
under any and al eireumstRneea, and as we
have since learned pledged not TO place any
man on their Executive Committee who
would not agree 10 support their candidate
for Governor. This combination of elements
above mentioned coming on the ground fully
organized and with the determination to rule
or ruin, placed the fair minded members Of
the Democracy OF Acadia who had met
merely to form an executive committee, TO
direct their movements IN future campaigns,
under the most embarrassing Disadvantage
but seeing what little show they had in com
test with this organized riOtous Fabble, the
most respectable, intelligent and influential
element of the Democratic party assembled
to consult and make fight aud to demand
hearing.
During the deliberations Of these gentle
men thiB tumuitu0ns mob referred 70 took
possession of the small building usually used
! np az Kuh MI a
meeting was appointed, and finding them
selves IN possession Of the building, IN the
most hurried and Indecent manner com
meneed proceedings by one Of their number
assuming the role ol presiding officer ot th9
meeting. About this time some ot the
friends of the regular Democracy and of good
order, aud quiet, gained an entrance into
the building among whom were such men as
Hon. James Webb, eX-MaYor B. ii. Hartman
and such men, none Of whom are partisans
Ia any sense, who made the most earnest and
reasonable appeals to the crowd to desist IN
their action and requesting them to move 70
place where all could be heard and to com
menee proceedings anew, and this request
| was Joined III by w X, HornsbYt OF Church
Point, pronounced Nichols man, TO which
| pleas only deaf ear was turned, and they
| continued their proceedings, such as they
were. IL q a notorious fact that no minutes
\ were kept, no writing done at the time, but
/
| forehand BY few OF their leaders, manipu-
| lated perhaps by some nonresident pollti-
clans who were present IN The parish, aud We
can account for their presence here in no
other way. II yet q doubtful question as
| to who their secretary was, i they had one,
| AS soon as some degree of order and quiet
could be restored the regular Democratic
| citizens present and acting in the Interest Of
/ no faction, but IN the interest of their party,
| quietly and regularly organized and met
| appointed an executive committee composed
| of men known TO be Democrats, but not IN
the interest Of any candidate for any otliee.
| IL Is true that resolutions were adopted at
| this meeting endorsing the action Of the
/ present executive otlieer Of the state but
this was done BY the people In mass, without
1 hampering the executive committee, ana
those resolutions contained no pledge Of sup.
port to any one man hut our tdeAe are that
| The Democracy OF Acadia Will and should
/ support the nominee Of the party no mattel
who he be-. We feel that 1t Is entirely wrong
| that the formation Of m executive commit
/ Tee shonld be IN the interest Of any taetlol
but should represent AL the factions ot ths
| party and are expected 10 act Without bias q
preiudice, but for the interest Of the whole
| Dur views are that It would have been i
much better taste TO have waited until con
yention was called 10 select delegates ~ faYo
Of any man,